Hydroformylation of high temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthol products for the production of detergent alcohols
The use of Synthol High Temperature Fischer-Tropsch (HTF-T) products as an inexpensive and alternative hydroformylation feedstock for producing Oxo alcohols has been investigated. These alcohols are precursors for biodegradable detergents. The HTF-T product targeted as a feedstock source was Synthol Light Oil (SLO), in the C₈ to C₁₂ range. The aim of the work was to identify a suitable hydroformylation catalyst system for use with SLO feeds. Process variables such as feed composition, temperature, pressure and contact time were investigated. Emphasis was placed on the determination of feed-catalyst compatibility; the development of a "working" kinetic model on a batch micro-reactor scale; and extrapolation of the results to a continuous catalyst testing unit. An integral part of the work therefore involved characterization and quantification of these complex hydroformylation systems, as well as the development of methods to achieve this goal.
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